Q&A with Ashley (adashofash)

Gryffindor Books: Ashley, thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me!

Ashley: Aw, thanks for asking me to participate! Ever since I started my channel things like this have just astounded me, and I’m always so surprised anyone wants to hear what I have to say. So, thank you!

Gryffindor Books: Let’s start off with an easy question! What is your Hogwarts House? What is your Ilvermorny House?

Ashley: FIVE POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR! I took the Pottermore test twice and got Gryffindor each time, and I’m not one to question it! As for Ilvermorny, it’s been a while but I think I got Puckwudgie, though if you were to ask me what that meant I honestly wouldn’t know. Hogwarts is where it’s at.

Gryffindor Books: Now that we got the most important question out of the way let’s talk about books!! Who or what got you into reading?

Ashley: Rick Riordan with the Percy Jackson books; they’ve been a part of my life since I was younger and I’d still reread them to this day.

Gryffindor Books: When you were growing up what book characters did you look up to or relate to? What characters do you look up to or relate to now?

Ashley: I’ve got to throw it back to Percy with this one! When I was younger I just wanted to learn that I was descended from a god and go on adventures. He was headstrong, and I wanted to be confident enough to dive into things even when I didn’t know the outcome. Now it would probably be Lila Bard from A Darker Shade of Magic, though for most of the same reasons! (I just want to be a badass, heroic YA heroine with maybe some magic thrown in, is that so much to ask?)

Gryffindor Books: if you were stranded on a remote island with only one book series which would it be and why?

Ashley: Hands down the Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab! I’ve always been a hardcore Cassandra Clare fan, but this series has seriously stolen my heart and soul. It gives me all the emotions and makes me elated just thinking about it. I just finished it and already want to reread it! My new all-time favorite series!

Gryffindor Books: Big Brother is in full swing for this season! If you could pick eight authors and eight Booktubers to compete in Big Brother who would they be and why?

Ashley: Oh man, I’ve never seen Big Brother! I’m not sure I would want to create drama, but I’d definitely be willing to throw some authors and BookTubers together to have fun! For authors, I’d pick my favorites: Cassie Clare, Victoria Schwab, Maggie Stiefvater, Rick Riordan, Sarah J Maas, Alex Bracken, Jay Kristoff, and Amie Kaufman (Jay and Amie because of Illuminae!). As for BookTubers, probably me (of course), Hannah from A Clockwork Reader, Zoe from readbyzoe, Brandon from brandonthebookaddict, Emma from emmmabooks, Emma from missmareadsalot, Jenna from jennaclarek, and probably Christine from PolandbananasBOOKS. Can you imagine?!

Gryffindor Books: Do you have a favorite format to read books in? Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook or eBook?

Ashley: I prefer physical copies for sure, but I don’t have a preference for hardcover or paperback! I’ve gotten into ebooks recently, though. When a new release comes out and I either haven’t preordered it or am too lazy to go get it, I’ll just have it sent to my phone and start reading at midnight!

Gryffindor Books: Who or what influenced you to start creating Booktube videos?

Ashley: I got into BookTube through Kat’s videos while searching for videos about NaNoWriMo, but Christine was really the one who got me hooked. I’d say they started it, but it was just watching everyone’s videos that inspired me to make my own.

Gryffindor Books: Do you have a favorite Booktube video you’ve created thus far?

Ashley: I love my Reading: Rick Riordan video I made a while ago! I still get comments on it and people keep asking me to make another! It was my first skit video ever and hopefully won’t be my last!

Gryffindor Books: If someone came up to you in public and asked for advice on starting a YouTube channel and you could only say one sentence, what would that one sentence be? (#devlishgrinandevillaughter)

Ashley: You will never know if this is something that could possibly bring you joy and friendship and happiness if you don’t attempt it, so just TRY IT and see what happens!

Gryffindor Books: Do you have any ya thriller books you’d recommend?

Ashley: Thriller really isn’t my favorite genre, but I reviewed a book that released this year called Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott that I enjoyed! It’s a dark YA psychological thriller and was interesting!

Gryffindor Books: Thanks so much for agreeing to do this with me!!

Ashley: Thanks again for asking me to participate! I had a great time coming up with these answers! 